INDY WIN DEMONSTRATES THE WINNING DETERMINATION
 AT PARKERTECH RACING

2009 has to be looked on as a successful season for Parkertech Racing.  When you build a team that can go to the U.S. Nationals, qualify number 1, and win the event, you have achieved something quite special.  It takes far longer than six seconds to win a drag race.  It takes years of dedication, determination, and just a lot of hard work.  Most people in the sport agree that teams generally go to the U.S. Nationals loaded for bear, with all their guns blazing, pedal to the metal, or whatever you say when you’re talking about an all-out effort.  Teams make sure they have their best parts and best equipment for this race.  Many even adjust their schedules to make sure they can put forth a supreme effort an Indy.  If it means skipping a prior event to save parts, so be it.  What this means is that the best teams are putting forth their best effort to win this race.  That’s the reason an Indy win means so much.  In order to win it, you have to beat the best; you have to BE the best.  It really is the culmination of loving labor for the entire season, and even years past.

Frank and Dan Parker have accrued more than 40 years of experience working together.   You can think of that as 80 years of practical field experience.  Add to that the fact that they’ve always been together.  There were no “get acquainted” years.  Like I’ve said, it’s like having one person with two brains working on the car.  And they work, day after day, day and night.  The man hours are astounding.  It’s impossible to buy this kind of dedication, man hours, and teamwork.  This really showed at Indy.  The very best, top elite tuners were in attendance.  It’s a true testimony to all the aforementioned hard work that the Parkers’ car was on top after qualifying ended.  Frank and Dan planned for weeks what combinations they were going to run at Indy. 

Now here’s the hard part.  A lot of that planning was budget-related.  We were running on a tight budget.  For 2009, with all the economic uncertainty, we just didn’t have the marketing programs or sponsorship support that a team of this caliber needs to run at a championship level.  So Frank and Dan had to juggle the parts, and often run stuff that they’d rather replace.  Obviously this is nothing new.  Teams have run this way since the fifties.  I did it myself for years.  The Parkers don’t want to just race, though.  They want to win;  and alcohol racing has become increasingly high tech, increasingly competitive, and therefore, increasingly expensive.  But like any business, you must consider those expenses as an investment, and it’s up to you to gain maximum benefit from your investment.

So what are the benefits?  Well, speed costs money.  We achieved a career best performance of 5.570 seconds at more than 259 mph.  Again, the timing was right because we did it at Indy.   We are also able to generate high quantity and quality exposure.  We were featured in 2008 as the #1 qualifier and event winner on ESPN2’s coverage of the NHRA National event at Norwalk.  This year, we topped that with a stunning victory at the most historic, most attended, most prestigious event on the tour, the U.S. Nationals.  That too appeared on ESPN2 along with two live interviews.  There was coverage in National Dragster and on numerous internet sites including a live audio feed on nhra.com direct from the announcer’s booth at Indy.  Drag Racer Magazine will release a feature story on our Indy triumph in its next issue. 

We also have one of the most fan-friendly operations on tour.  There are never any barriers to our pit area.  Spectators are welcome to come in, browse around, take pictures, and ask questions.  Many comment that they appreciate the chance to get up close to the machine and the guys who put it together.  We feel that hospitality is an important element of our program because, in effect, the spectators are ultimately our customers.  Our policy is to treat every spectator like they are our best customer.  The team also makes regular appearances away from the track at such events as the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, as well as numerous educational events and automotive technology competitions.    

In today’s business environment, companies must closely scrutinize every expenditure.  The goal is maximum return on each dollar invested.  Parkertech Racing has truly set an exemplary standard in this regard.  In just the last two years with “new driver Bobby Martin,” they have achieved a national Top Ten finish in the season points series, won the NHRA Division 3 Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship, represented Division 3 on the elite Jeg’s Allstar Team, won the Spitzer Cup season-long low qualifier award, captured the Division 3 Pro-Sportsman Driver of the Year award, and, of course, won the ultimate drag race, the NHRA U.S. Nationals.  In so doing, millions have witnessed their efforts in person, via television, on the internet, or in print.   They have done this while maintaining long-standing relationships with key business partners, but still with a fraction of the budget of many of the top tier teams.  “We’re confident that with the proper budget, in an amount that we have carefully calculated – it’s not just guess work, we can contend for the NHRA World Championship with the team we have in place right now,” says team owner and crew chief Frank Parker.            

Alcohol Funny Cars and Dragsters are currently the fastest machines on the quarter mile.  The way-more-costly nitro cars run to a thousand feet, not 1320.  Alcohol cars are featured not only at national events, but at numerous regional events on the divisional level nationwide.  It’s loud.  It’s fast.  It’s 3500 horsepower.  It’s 250+ miles per hour.  The Parkertech team has proven to be one of the best; and they’re ready to do business – on and off the track.  Click “contact us” to find out more. 

Readin, Rithmatic and Racin with ParkerTech

Mid-season race report and Indiana State University Sponsorship

Milford, Michigan – The ParkerTech Racing Services/Lane Automotive Top Alcohol Funny Car team has had a mixed bag of results, this year.  A rumble strip of broken parts, highly unusual for the team, impeded their efforts to repeat their 2008 division championship.  The rumble strip has not dampened their dedication to challenge Division 3 and its racers, nor has it broken ParkerTech’s string of qualifying for over 80 consecutive races.

Frank and Dan Parker are currently in Bowling Green, at Beech Bend Raceway Park’s Division 3 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race.  This race is a shake-down for next weekend’s NHRA U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park, near Indianapolis.  Bobby Martin, team driver, and the ParkerTech crew are looking forward to the win light at both races.

Their winning attitude recently was capped off by a visit to the campus of Indiana State University, in Terre Haute, Indiana.  The Dodge Charger Top Alcohol Funny Car was on display at “The Fountain,” which serves as the campus focal point.  Team Sycamore, the university’s student race team, helped host Frank and Dan Parker and Bobby Martin.  Frank and Bobby spent most of the day talking with high school honor students touring the campus.

In mid-afternoon, Dr. Dan Bradley, the university president, climbed into the ParkerTech Charger and his wife, Cheri, into Team Sycamore’s Super Comp dragster.  When the cars were lit, both “drivers” broke out in quarter-mile wide grins.  Although the university was thinly populated by summer session students, many were drawn to the noise’s source.  Following the brief run, Dr. Bradley, Frank and Bobby were interviewed by local media personalities.  Frank and Bobby then spent more time talking with students and helping them in and out of the race cars.

The visit’s outcome was an Indiana State University three-event sponsorship of the ParkerTech team.  The university was looking for wider exposure at NHRA races, where fans are proven supporters of race car sponsors.  Seeing the ParkerTech crew interact with students and the media sealed the relationship.  The first event was the Woodward Dream Cruise, in Detroit.  Starting the alcohol-fueled Hemi there, immediately drew a crowd well into the hundreds.  The team was then bombarded with questions about the car, the university’s major programs and its accredited Motorsports Management minor.

The next two sponsored events are the race at Bowling Green and the NHRA U.S. Nationals.  Team Sycamore will race their S/C dragster at the Nats, help Parker Tech where they can and receive coaching from Bobby Martin.  ISU faculty and directors will be hosted by both teams.

Needless to say, Indiana State University is anticipating three winners circle appearances in the next two weeks.

Visit Indiana State University at www.indstate.edu

Visit Team Sycamore Racing at www1.indstate.edu/ecmet/sycamoreracing/index.htm

Have you seen the log jam in the D3 TAFC points?  What that means is that Bowling Green is a Must Win.

We said in our last installment that Columbus had to be a “Get Well” race for us.  Well, we got better and so we’re back – against the wall that is.  Have you seen the points for D3?  It’s ridiculous.  Mick Snyder and we are tied with 203 points in the first spot.  Chris Foster is in third just one point back at 202.  And Andy Bohl is right there in fourth with 193.   The Bowling Green race, the week before Indy, is the last race in the D3 series.  Even if we win this race, the season’s not over.  People can go to out of division races and collect points.  That puts Foster in good shape, as he has been able to collect his points total with one less race than Mick and me.  Realistically, we have to win Bowling Green, and hope it’s not Foster in the other lane in the final. 

I got myself into this mess.  We had Foster side by side in Columbus and I let it get away.  It was a close race at the start and at the finish, but as a driver, I feel those are the kind of races I need to deliver for the team.  Frank and Dan and the guys had the car straightened out at this event.  We were going down the track and the car was happy to do it.  We had virtually no parts breakage all weekend.  The points would look a lot different if I had won that round.  It was the semis, and Foster went on to beat Andy in the final.  The reaction times were .062 to .058 in favor of Chris.  This is the first time all year I’ve been left on.  .062 is okay, even Dan said that.  But in a situation like this, I needed a little more.  Could I have made up the 5.75 to 5.73 deficit with driving?  Maybe some of it.  I think in the back of my mind, I was concerned about running the car at Indiana State University that week, didn’t want to hurt anything, and wasn’t as aggressive as I could have been on the track.  In the previous round, we were about a tenth better than Foster.  I was thrown off my timing in the staging lanes too, as we had problems with the seat belts.  But guess what?  None of that should matter to the driver when you go up to stage.  I was in a defense “don’t lose it” mode.  Not good.  You gotta be in the “grab the win” mode, which Foster was.  Good for him.  But now I gotta get mean.  No more Mr. Nice Guy.  That’s a challenge.  Because you can get too animal in these cars and bust stuff up.  Or go up there all pumped, cut a great light, then drive like an idiot the rest of the way down the track and lose.  So, just like the tuners need to find the right balance between too wimpy and too aggressive, so does the driver.  See, another thing is that it’s not my job to worry about the car.  Sure, I have to take reasonable care of it and not do anything dumb, but as Frank says, “Don’t look at the oil pressure gauge.  Once the engine fires, just drive it.”   That’s very wise.  I’ve learned over the years that if that motor’s happy, you can drive it pretty hard and it loves it.   So knowing we got our game back at Columbus, we can go to Bowling Green and have at it. 

After Bowling Green is the U.S. Nationals.   I don’t have to tell you how big that race is.  It makes Bowling Green all the more important, because we want some momentum heading into Indy.  Not that the Parker team has to have it in order to win.  Many forget that the event before their Indy triumph in 2003, they had a big explosion and fire at Bowling Green.  The above paragraph explains why that can’t happen this year.  They rebuilt the car on the road and went on to win the biggest race of them all.  That shows you what the Parker team is made of.  But the points are important too.  We’d still like to finish in the national Top Ten.  So any event we go to from here on out has to produce points, and that includes Indy.

Our school visits after Columbus were tremendous.  Frank, Dan, Rachel, Charlie Henry, and I were all at Indiana State University for a special “Fire at the Fountain” extravaganza.  ISU has a gorgeous fountain at the center of the campus that made a great setting for the Parkertech/Lane Automotive Charger and the ISU Team Sycamore dragster to fire-up their engines.  The president of the college – not me – was at the wheel when Frank lit it up.  Frank, Rachel, Dan, and I all did presentations for the students at the school too.  Some of them will be writing articles about it for special projects they’re working on. 

BIG RACES YET TO COME

I went on by myself with the CAP CHARGER in tow to Lincoln Tech’s Mahwah, New Jersey campus.  I displayed the car in the more conventional location of the school’s auto shop – a state-of –the art facility where 300 students heard me speak in the morning session alone.  It’s always fun to do these kinds of events because the students and instructors are so appreciative.  Such was the case at Lincoln Tech.  I think everyone had a really great day.

Like I said, we need a few really great days at Bowling Green and Indy.  Come back for the inside scoop on two very important events.  Thanks for stopping by.           

Bobby

SCHOOL’S  IN FOR THE SUMMER

The Parkertech team won’t only be going to school at Columbus this weekend; we’ll also be traveling to visit two major automotive colleges.

As we said in our last installment, this is a big weekend for the Parkertech gang.  We need to produce some points to keep us in the game for the D3 Championship.  We still haven’t lost sight of that Top Ten national finish either.  First round of qualifying is Friday at 4.  We run more qualifying on Saturday at 1 and 5.  Final eliminations begin Sunday at high noon.  But we have some big assignments the week following the race as well.

On Sunday night, right after the race, Papa Dan and I will head to Terre Haute Indiana, the home of Indiana State University.  They have a major automotive program there, including their own Super Comp dragster.  On Tuesday, July, 28^th, it’s Showtime with Parkertech.  In the morning I’ll be doing – believe it or not – a seminar on driving a drag race car.  Later in the day, Frank and Dan will fire up the Parkertech/Lane Automotive Dodge with none other than the President of the college behind the wheel!  The real treat, though, will be a question and answer session with Frank and Dan.  This will be a great opportunity for young tuners to learn from two of the best.  Frank isn’t scheduled to arrive at ISU until late Monday night.  So rumor has it that Papa Dan “hisself” may be speaking to the students on Monday.   I know I don’t want to miss it. 

From Indiana it’s straight to Mahwah, New Jersey, where many of the main offices for the Lincoln Group of Automotive Schools are located.  I’ll be there on Thursday, July 28^th, with the CAP CHARGER in tow.  There will be two sessions with the car displayed right in the auto shop.  One at 8am, and one at 6pm.  I’ve known many of the people from Lincoln Tech for years, seeing them at many automotive education events.  and I’m thrilled to appear at their National Open House.

To say the least, there’s a lot coming up in the next week.  If I don’t see you in Columbus, at ISU, or at Lincoln Tech, check back here to see how it all went down. 

NOT THE EXPERIENCE WE HOPED FOR
Jul 10, 2009 Author: Bobby Martin

"This is one of those suck it up events that could determine the course of the entire season. Is it a must-win? In a lot of ways, yes."

As excited as we were for the Norwalk Nationals, we went out first round. The car just smoked the tires and we were done. The Parkertech/Lane Automotive team looks to rebound in Columbus. After the magic we had last year in Norwalk, winning both the national and divisional events there, friends and fans were gathering around for another great Norwalk experience. By now it's well documented that the track surface was a challenge for teams from the starting line on due to new pavement, the heat, etc. But that's part of racing and everyone has to deal with the same conditions. None of us are real proud of our performance at Norwalk, so now comes another true test for our team. When you're winning, you build momentum in many different ways. You have a good combination, a good tuneup, and everybody feels good about their contribution because it's producing solid results. When you go through a period where things don't go well, for whatever reason, it gets tougher and tougher to recover. For me, the biggest challenge is confidence. The things you've been doing as a driver aren't producing results. You can have good lights, leave at the right rpm, hit your shift points and everything, but if it's not lighting the win light, you feel like you've got to compensate somehow. And don't let anybody tell you otherwise, nobody's perfect. So when the "human side" of driving a Top Alcohol Funny Car comes into play, you begin to wonder how much it's hurting the team's efforts. There's added pressure and tension. None of that helps your performance. The same goes for every member of the team. They can be doing their thing just the same as when the car is invincible, but when you're not going rounds, doubt sets in. Our team has been doing well in one important aspect. Everyone takes responsibility for their own job. There's not a lot of blaming and whining. There's a lot of respect in the Parkertech pit and that's an important ingredient in a successful team. No one got fired (we actually joke about that quite a bit) and everybody still hangs with each other on off days and all that. My job is, as an individual, to make sure my own performance is top level.

Here's the deal though. We're really in pretty good shape. Frank and Dan Parker and all of us have high expectations, so it doesn't take much for us to be disappointed. But hey, you're not supposed to be satisfied with anything but the best. We are #17 in the country and #2-- that's right, a close second-- in the division! There's still plenty of racing left, so we can still achieve our goals. Naturally, we want to repeat as division champs, and after last year's eighth place national finish, the only way to go is up, to a top five. What this does, though, is apply some pressure. We're running out of breathing room. We have to return to winning rounds and races. This is what we look to do in Columbus. It's the NHRA Division 3 event at National Trail Raceway July 24th-26th. This is one of those suck it up events that could determine the course of the entire season. Is it a must-win? In a lot of ways, yes. We want to reassert our position as division leaders, and we certainly would like another crack at the Jeg's Allstars. See, as good as last year was, we went through a slump then too. The difference is we had already accomplished so much that it couldn't spoil our fun, or the year we were having. This year we started with a win. That's cool. And it gave us a load of points to start with. But with the Jeg's Allstars, it only added to our total for this year. The 2010 points didn't start till after we were slumping, so now were like fourth in the Allstars points. I truly believe that we have some of the best people and equipment out there. The guys all know how I feel. They're the best! For me, that's the most frustrating thing about not doing well. Okay, so now there's a little pressure on us to pick up the pace. This kind of pressure is actually something new for this team. Now everybody, including us, will get to see another part of what the team is made of. T

he Parkertech team is: Frank Parker: guitars. Oh wait, that's for liner notes. The team is Frank Parker: Owner and crew chief. Dan Parker: Co-owner, co-crew chief.

Larry Radke: clutch specialist, Kyle Pelfrey: bottom end, Kevin Wilhelms: "back half" of car. Mike Meeks: "front half" of car, Bobby Martin: driver and appearance care for body and all support vehicles, Rachel Parker: assistant to Frank and Dan Parker, Lori Martin: head chef and assistant to team. ParkerTech Racing's long-standing relationship with Lane Automotive continues, along with All-Star Performance, Clevite Engine Bearings, Mopar, Aeroquip Hoses, Red Line Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, Total Flow Heads, Mr. Gasket, Mancini Racing, Casebolt Financial, Permatex, and VP Racing Fuels. Marketing and media tasks by Challenger Consulting t-win

IT’S THE NORWALK EXPERIENCE, BABY
Author: Bobby Martin 6/23/09

It’s another first for me.  The Parkertech/Lane Automotive team is going to a national event as the defending champions.  Frank and Dan have done it before (at Indy no less), but for me it’s the first time.  In the past couple years with Parkertech Racing, we haven’t gone to Englishtown, which was the site of many of my career highlights.  Norwalk has taken its place as my home/favorite track.   We won both events there last year, including the Nationals.  This year is different though.  First off, last year we were coming off a win in Chicago.  This year, we had problems in Chicago and are looking to get our game back. 

Chicago certainly wasn’t a disaster.  Although we went out first round in the Jeg’s Allstars, we were in the Jeg’s Allstars.   Then the next day we got around Marc White and Tony Bartone to get down to the final four.  This has lots of significance for me because I never beat either one of those guys before.  They were both around and tough when I first got into TA/FC.  I raced Marc a lot cuz he was a Division 3 guy.  I was never close to him back then.   Bartone was in his championship years reeling off like 36 rounds in a row and stuff.  If I raced him, he was usually #1 qualifier and I was 16.  No upsets there.  This time Tony was #2 and I was #7.  That’s a little better.  We actually outqualified Marc, who was tenth.  Still, Frank, the team, and I were struggling with the car and it bit us in the semis against Steve Harker.  Steve has put me away the last two or three times we’ve met.  But he’s not on the entry list for Norwalk.  Chicken. 

Other people not slated to be in Norwalk who were there last year include Mick Snyder, Nick Bastaio (Alexis DeJoria), and Marty Nothstein.  Von Smith has been replaced in the seat by Bartone.  Von became a non-threat last year after taking his car off the end of the track, giving us a single in round 2.  Bartone is being touted as a championship contender, and owner Rick Jackson and his team are going to expect to do better this year.  I had a dramatic shutdown myself in the final, as you may recall.  Frank has been proactive, installing the latest chute release system on the Lane Automotive Charger.  But even that has proven to be less than perfect.  Now with what’s happened in TA/FC recently with people going into the sand, you can expect to see our chutes out a little earlier than usual at Norwalk.

Our Parkertech/Lane Automotive team has a tough act to follow.   We qualified #1 last year and won the race.  So let’s see, same crew chiefs and team, same car with some upgrades and updates.  We should rule!  But, as we all know, it’s not that easy.  We’ll have plenty of competition just from people we see at D3 races.  Guys like Andy Bohl, Chris Foster, and Terry Munroe are on their game and will run fast on the new Norwalk track surface.  This will be a real test for our team.  But Frank Parker and Dan Parker are two of the toughest, smartest racers I know.  And the crew of Larry Radke, Mike Meeks, Kyle Pelfrey, and Kevin Wilhelms is one I wouldn’t trade for anybody.  Bill Bader, one of the great track owners of all time, is putting down a whole new surface from half track on.  That’ll make the track smooth and fast.   This is an important race for the Parkertech team.  We make our first qualifying run 2 o’clock on Friday.  We’ll know a lot more after that.  Stay tuned.       

IT’S TIME FOR THE ALL STAR GAME

Every sport has its All-Star event.  What an awesome privilege it is to drive the Parkertech Charger in Drag Racing’s version!

I’ve raced at the Chicago national event a bunch of times.  I always end up pitting way past the finish line in the grass.  The reason is, it’s the weekend of the Jegs Allstars, and the Allstar guys get all the good pit spots.   Having the best cars from all over the country in the field makes it kind of a suicide mission.  But I was always there for the sponsors.  While it’s always great to have the opportunity to race, I never accomplished much at this event.  Last year, my first driving for Frank and Dan Parker, we were there, but not part of the Allstars.  We beat Allstar Brian Hough in round one only to lose to Allstar Jay Payne in round two.  No easy rounds here!  It should be noted, however, that we did get by Jay the following week at the Divisional, which we won.  The kind of year we had with our new team is responsible for us being part of the Allstars in 2009. 

There’s a lot that’s cool about this event.  But here’s something not so obvious.  One thing that’s very cool is that Ben Wentzel is on our team from D3.  Ben is running Stock.  Ben won Stock eliminator at Indy in 1967.  The cool meter is just pegged here.  Don Garlits won Top Fuel with the legendary shave at the starting line,  Doug Thorley won a new class called Funny Car, Gene Snow won in a Funny Car but it was classed as a C/Fuel Dragster in an eliminator called Super.  Bill Jenkins won Super Stock in a brand new car called a Camaro.  Do you get the feel of the magnitude of the names and the significance of the event?  I believe Ben is racing the same car (also a Camaro) that he raced in 1967.  In ’67 it ran B/Stock.  I think he runs in C/Stock now.  The lack of an ‘A’ at the end, such as C/SA, means Ben is shifting gears.   (A is for “automatic”).  You can bet that I’ll be cheering for Ben at the Allstars.  As teammates we’ll be earning points for the same cause.  It would be really great to be in the winner’s circle with Ben just like Big Daddy and the Snowman were in 1967. 

It’s going to be a tough weekend.  Not only because the best in the country will be there, but just because of the schedule.  Two qualifying runs Friday, three Allstars runs Saturday, then the whole national event – Four runs – on Sunday.  That’s nine passes in one weekend.  But anyone who gets to make all those runs is having a pretty decent weekend.  I think there will only be seven cars in our class because last year’s winner, Doug Gordon, made the show this year, so there’s no blocker.  Doug is the TA/FC Allstar hero, having beaten Frank Manzo by OUT RUNNING him in last year’s final.  The only problem with that is that Manzo’s gonna be mad.  Uncle Frank is running once again for Division 1, the scrappy Mark Billington will be this year’s D2 guy.  Way to go, Mark!  D3 is us.  D4 is Steve Harker.  We all know how tough he is.  D5 is Roger Bateman.  Roger has done everything but win a National event.  He’ll be hungry.  D6 will either be Brian Hough again or Clint Thompson.  Both are bad hombres who know how to win under pressure.  And D7 is the aforementioned defending champ, Doug Gordon.  Can you say Allstars? I may be the only rookie in this lineup. (Frank and Dan have been here before with Danny Townsend)  This is going to be a bloodbath.  Don’t just watch the elapsed times.  The weather will have a lot to do with that.  Watch the reaction times.  That’ll give you an idea of how serious this group is. 

CAVALCADE OF STARS            We weren’t too stellar at this year’s Cavalcade of Stars.  It was one of those races where nothing was routine.  Even when we warmed up the car, we’d be starting it three or four times because of some little issue.  We darn near DNQ’d for the thing.  Getting in #7 was good though, because Manzo was #4.  He dispatched the #1 qualifier in round two to take his usual place on the eliminations ladder.  We took out the #2 guy to adjust for those mediocre qualifying runs.  It was another match with Mick Snyder.  We’re 2 for 2 against Mick this year.  I say so what.  Those guys are notorious for their strong finishes.  Case in point, last year.  There will be plenty more tough matches with Mick this year.  In the semis we had Terry Munroe, a cross-town neighbor from the IHRA world.  Terry has adapted to NHRA and the screw blower real quick.  We took him out in Indy, but he got us back at Norwalk.  So now the Beaver Valley series is tied at one apiece.  Hey, no fair!  It took me years to learn how to run a screw blower.  Terry is doing it in a couple months.  He’s got a good team.  He’s technically a D1 car, although I think it’s just because he didn’t know the rules.  So now he’s in D1 with Manzo and Mickey Ferro and those guys.  D3 is plenty tough, though, as demonstrated at last year’s Chicago points race.  D3 cars took the top qualifying spots (and the win, thank you) while the best of the rest were wondering what happened, including a DNQ by Jackson Racing and Von Smith!  This year’s race is once again the week after the Nationals and the Jegs Allstars, so it should be another slugfest.  We’ll see how it goes.    

COUNTDOWN TO THE CAVALCADE

 

The Cavalcade of Stars is one of the classic shows that got me hooked on Funny Car racing back in the day.  It’s an awesome thrill to drive with Parkertech Racing in the new Cavalcade of Stars this weekend at Norwalk.

 

The Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars is still remembered and revered to this day as one of the all-time great Funny Car match racing shows.  It was a traveling band of gypsies, including some of the greatest names, that would invade towns and put on a wild fire-breathing Funny Car fest.  The name is so special to the drag racing world that promoter extraordinaire Bill Bader has longed to bring it back for years.  In 2007, he did just that with the B’laster Cavalcade of Stars.  This year’s event promises all the sizzling ingredients of a great day at the drags, including all the NHRA sportsman categories, wheelstanders (I love wheelstanders), jet cars, and even a concert. 

Frank and Dan Parker plan to try a new engine combo.  Last year, we went 5.57 at 259, our best as a team.  The track is among the best in the world.  And, according to the forecast, Sunday should provide conditions that would help us to go even faster. 
Follow the action round by round at www.dragracecentral.com and www.nhra.com.

BULLETIN:  I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be serving as an assistant at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School at Norwalk.  The school starts the Monday following the Cavalcade of Stars and goes through Thursday.  I’ll be there on Monday and Thursday.

One more thing.  It’s official.  The ParkerTech/Lane Automotive Charger will be the Division 3 Top Alcohol Funny Car at the 25th Anniversary of the Jeg’s All-Stars coming up in June. 

Bobby Martin

Bobby's News & Views
March 18, 2009
We have new photos from the NHRA Division 3 Awards Banquet (in the Team History & Pictures section), and an update on Parkertech’s plans for the 2009 racing season.

Frank and Dan Parker’s Parkertech Dodge Funny Car is ready to race.  Frank and Dan with the whole crew, Mike Meeks, Larry Radke, Kevin Wilhelms, and Kyle Pelfrey, along with Rachel Parker, Tom Cunningham, Tom McVey, Charlie Henry and all our family and friends have been working hard over the winter.  The entire team is back!  In fact, they not only have maintained the car, but have updated and upgraded it.  Our goals are to defend our Division 3 Championship, repeat our Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals championship, and try to add a couple more titles to the list this year. 

Frank and Dan did lots of work on the fuel system and supercharger to tweak an already stout tune-up.  Frank is confident that after a couple runs to make final adjustments, their Charger should really boogie.  I’ve learned to put a lot of stock in Frank’s predictions.  He gives me tons of confidence because, as we’ve seen, he gets the results.  There may be some other changes to the engine combination as well.  Frank talked about many different things, and at this point I’m not sure which ones he used.  He had some ideas about how to get the car through the first part of the run quicker and more consistently.  We’ll see what’s in it when we get out there.  He may make even more changes before then.  The body was treated to some TLC including new paint.  Again, lots of possibilities were discussed, but the car will be white again to start the year.  That is, unless we land a sponsor who wants to change the color.  The “plain white wrapper” is an invitation to savvy marketing partners to come on in, the racing’s fine! 

We’re very excited about taking the momentum the team created in 2008 and moving forward to the next level.  Lane Automotive is back, along with VP Racing Fuels and Permatex.  Longtime Parkertech supporters like Mancini Racing are with us too.  Parkertech Racing Services and Bobby Martin Racing both established a tradition of long-standing business partnerships due to their personal involvement.  You could say, it’s not just business, it’s personal.  Now, as a powerful unit, we believe our new alliance offers many competitive advantages for sponsors.  The Parkers’ years of experience and solid track record are rare and valuable assets.  I bring a unique combination of communication and business skills to the mix, particularly in the area of education.  The synergy between the Parker and Martin teams, and the cohesive unit that it created, resulted in solid performance on the track in a very short time.  We have also led the way in off-track activities that bring added value to marketing programs.

Another area of discussion is when the 2009 Parkertech Charger will hit the track.  Once again, business and racing strategies are both factors.  Right now, I would say that the latest we’d hit the track is the Division 3 opener at Indy.  Thanks for visiting, and come on back for updates.

AWARDS BANQUET, THE BEACH, AND NOT SO SILLY SEASON
Jan 21, 2009
Author: Bobby Martin

Following a Great '08, what do we do for an encore?

Frank Parker and I will continue our alliance in 2009. To say the least, I'm very happy about that. In our first year we finished number 8 in the world, won the Division 3 Championship, and won the Spitzer Cup low qualifier award. The Spitzer Cup represents a season's worth of performance, and demonstrates the level of skill and hard work on the part of Frank and Dan Parker. The Cup is proudly displayed at the Parkertech shop. I was thrilled to take home Division 3's "Pro-Sportsman Driver of the Year" award. That's special because racers and fans selected the winner. A big thank you goes to all who voted. It means a lot. One of the greatest things is the season made a lot of people happy. Check out http://www.totalflowproducts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=5&Itemid=6 to get Total Flow Products' take on the proceedings.

As good as 2008 was, it wasn't perfect. We went through slumps just like a lot of teams and we left a lot of points on the table. On the other hand, I've been around long enough to know how tough wins are to come by. Things have to go your way in order to go all the way to the winner's circle. So it will be a challenge, but we're very excited. Here's why. The team remains intact for '09. Larry, Kyle, Kevin, and Mike will all be back. I think team chemistry was one of our major assets last year. But Frank and Dan are never satisfied with the status quo. They are making changes and upgrades to their hot rod in search of even more power and performance. All of that means we're looking forward with great anticipation to the new season, and can't wait to get out there. Our scheduled season debut will be the Gatornationals.

NOT SO SILLY SEASON - just ask the guys without a ride or a sponsor
This off-season has been extra tough. Companies are cutting back their budgets like never before. Just the same, I had a meeting with one progressive industry leader who said, "I choose not to participate in the recession." Is that a cool quote or what? I think that's the attitude that must prevail if we as an industry or even a country are to move forward. We're still working to finalize our sponsor roster for this year. Many of our loyal clients are staying with us, and we're coming out with all our guns blazing. We have some interesting prospects, so we'll see what happens. This team has nothing if not perseverance and faith. I can tell you that our car for this year will again be a Dodge Charger.

WE'VE GOT THE GO, HOW 'BOUT THE WHOA
The 2008 Parkertech/Lane Automotive/CAP Charger was fast. In fact, there were times when stopping was the biggest challenge. For '09, we plan to go with Dennis Taylor's new chute launcher. This thing actually launches the whole parachute pack, from which the chute then deploys. I love going to the beach, but not while wearing a fire suit and helmet. Dennis' stuff is first class all the way.

THE DIVISION 3 AWARDS BALL

I call it a ball because that's what it was. Our whole team dressed up and everyone, especially the women, looked really nice. It was a special night for all of us. For a single team to take home the Division championship trophy, the Spitzer Cup, and the Driver of the Year award is really something special. Frank and Dan even made us a special thank you award. It's a clock made from actual pistons and rods that won events. Everyone on the team got one. Very unique and very cool. Frank could barely contain his emotions when he presented these to us. It's that kind of appreciation that makes you work even harder. After the awards was a party. We even got to hear Persons of the Year, starter Bill Floyd and announcer Leo Taugher sing. It's fun to see people in a relaxed environment just having a good time. We thank Division 3 for all their efforts in presenting a great weekend.

CAP CHARGER AT THE BEACH

The weekend was especially wacky for me because I was also showing the CAP CHARGER at the Hampton Roads Auto Show in Virginia Beach. Again, we had the only Funny Car there, and the crowds loved it. It's fascinating when you get these cars out of the racing environment and see people's reaction. Think about the difference between a 30mpg street car and a 3200 horsepower Funny Car. You even get folks who stop and stare, trying to figure out what all this is for. You get everyone from people who have no idea what the car is, to avid drag fans who can tell you the history of drag racing from its very beginnings. I also had the privilege of addressing some high school students on Friday morning. The people at Tidewater Community College put this event together. Thanks to Bud Brueggeman, Howard Didier, and Fred and Bob too. They are passionate about education. I attempted to pass that passion along to some of America's future auto technicians. The students that attended were a great audience. On Saturday, (Jan 10th) I flew from Virginia Beach to Indy to be at the banquet, then returned to Virginia Sunday morning to finish the show. The show had some extra excitement in the form of a bomb threat. No terrorists or anything, just a grouchy local person. Nothing happened but a delay in getting our stuff in on Thursday. My personal favorite car at the show was the Challenger SRT8. Virginia Beach is nice, even in January. I absolutely love the view of the ocean. You can watch giant ships coming in and out anytime of the day or night, and the sound of the waves is very soothing. My drive home included some drastic climate changes! I went from sunny and 50 to a snow storm and 20's. Let's just say it was a project getting my rig up the driveway. It took most of Tuesday. I thank the neighbors who are so patient with me when I park in the street. Now I'm safe inside while it's 2 degrees outside. Our thoughts turn to racing on a nice, hot track. . . See you soon.

THE BUBBLE POPS, AND SO DOES OUR BLOWER AT INDY
Sep 5, 2008
Author: Bobby Martin

It's been a dream season for us this year, but we got a taste of reality on our double header trips to Bowling Green and Indy. Bowling Green started out fine. We qualified on the pole and that secured the Spitzer Cup, something that Frank had as a goal from the start of the year. That was pretty dramatic as we were tied with Mick Snyder going into the race. Whoever qualified higher would win the Cup. But Daniel Wilkerson and John Bojec were also within striking distance if Mick and I messed up. Closing it out with the #1 spot was doing it in style, that made it extra nice.

Race day was hot and the track was tricky. We got past first round okay, but the semis against Mick was tough. This was a big match up for division points. The Parkertech/Lane Automotive/CAP Charger was a little too much for the middle of the track, and it slowed me down just enough to let Mick get by. Daniel got Mick in the final for his first win of the year.

Frank and the boys were still pumped about Indy. We felt we had some power and that power would be essential at this race. Indy is unique in that there are four qualifying sessions. As a side note, I don't think I've ever run all four sessions, either due to weather or by choice. This time we needed 'em as we really struggled to figure out the track. The first two runs were in the 5.80's. For Q3 (third qualifying session) Frank got mad. He basically went to his Norwalk combination and the resulting 5.62 was just what we were looking for. But in this tough field, that was only good for sixth. We needed a little more.

Here's the situation. It's the last qualifying session, just one shot left. On the plus side, our .62 will definitely be in the show, AND the session is on Sunday morning under good conditions for performance. Frank and Dan let 'er rip. Most of the time, when I make a good run, it's so smooth that the lack of drama makes it seem slower. All I can do is wait for the crew to tell me how fast it was. This time was different. The car was a rocketship. It just blasted off right down the middle of the lane. But then came the dreaded flash from the engine compartment. I pulled the chutes, and before I came to a stop, the Safety Safari was right along side. There was no fire and I was fine, but it torched the left head and the block. Even with the problems, it still went 5.600 at over 257, the second quickest run of my career. It would have been well into the .50's at over 260, and maybe #1 qualifier. We'll never know. I do know it was going 207+ at half track, the fastest ever for me. A lot of other teams improved and we went down to eighth. Frank orchestrated an engine swap with Mike, Larry, Kyle, and Kevin all doing their jobs along with Papa Dan. They had it ready in plenty of time.

First round was against Vern Moats. The wily veteran qualified ninth with a 5.61. I have never beaten Vern, but I never really made a good run against him either. I went up there very methodically, not in any hurry, because most of the veteran drivers carefully take their time. Even so, when I staged, I had to wait for Vern to come in. No problem, I got the jump .055 to .144. It shook a little, but again no problem, our Hemi has enough power to drive through it with a little finessing from the cockpit. I was just getting ready to pull the chutes when BANG! we had a classic blower lifting event. The burst panel went flying, the engine quit running, and out came the Safety Safari again. That let Vern go by with a 5.79 at 246. We ended up with a 5.99 at 196. Rats.

I gotta tell ya about that Safety Safari. In a Charger, you cannot see anything unless it's way ahead of you. On both incidents on Sunday, that Safety Safari truck was in view along side of me before I even got the car stopped. Then, when I did stop, they jumped out, lifted the body, and the first thing they do is say, "Are you okay?" Then they check for fire and then for oil on the track. There are about six people all over that car in seconds. And remember, they don't know what they're getting into at that point. There could be an explosion or something, who knows? In both cases, there was no fire and I was fine. But they don't wait for a problem to develop, they just move. We thank the Safari people after every run, but this time I want to say a special word of thanks. They were not only doing their jobs, they performed with excellence and they showed genuine caring concern for me which kind of chokes me up a little.

The rest of the race turned into a finesse fest. The track got hot and brute power alone wasn't gonna do it. It was painful to watch the final where Von Smith beat Roger Bateman 6.03 to 6.32. It's tough being on the sidelines knowing you had a car that could win. But we had a problem that at the end of the day we still hadn't solved, and those two guys did their jobs well to make it to the final. The prognosticators were generous, but I don't think they were wrong. We're gonna try to get our mojo back in Dallas. Thanks for reading.

Martin #1 Qualifier at Bowling Green

Wins Spitzer Low Qualifier Bonus 

Milford, Michigan – 8/25/08   Beech Bend Raceway Park hosted NHRA’s Division 3 LODRS race, this past weekend.  Bobby Martin qualified number one, in Frank Parker’s Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger TAFC, on a 5.729-second, 253.61 mph pass.  Martin's qualifying position earned him the Spitzer Low Qualifier Bonus.  The opportunity to extend the team’s run of top finishes (three consecutive wins, one runner-up) seemed to be at hand.

In the first round, Martin used a .054 reaction time to his favor.  In spite of getting out of the groove, he steered the car back and the Parker-tuned Hemi Charger crossed the line in 5.777 seconds at 252.28 mph for the win.

The second round matched Martin against his team’s long-time friend and rival, Mick Snyder.  Martin again left first, thanks to a .045 reaction time, but experienced tire shake.  This time, he couldn’t drive out of it and a 5.821, 253.47 lap gave the win to Snyder.  As of August 25, Martin and his Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger are 7^th in TAFC national points and solidly in the Division 3 lead.

Frank Parker summed up the weekend by saying, “We never go into a race thinking it’s ‘in the bag” or a ‘sure thing.’  Every race we enter is a challenge to be overcome, and we work at succeeding.  Even if we’re low qualifier, we never sit back and watch.”  As usual, Parker and his father are looking ahead, “The tire shake was unexpected, but we have a handle on it.  Our next race is the U.S. Nationals and we started working on that challenge right after the second round, here.  Bobby has the talent to win.  All we have to do is give him the best ride we can.”

Lane Automotive specializes in distributing accessory and performance parts world wide.  The latest and best parts are stocked in their stunning new Watervliet, Michigan complex.  The facility is specially designed, computerized and automated to process customer orders.  Motorsports enthusiasts – racer, hot rodder, truck and off-road, sport compact, street machine and more – will find what they need or want.  Visit Lane Automotive, Motor State Distributing, Allstar Performance, Lane Collectables, Exact Detail and the Lane Showroom at http://www.laneautomotive.com/Index.php.

Chrysler’s College Automotive Program (CAP) focuses on training novice and experienced automotive technicians.  Students are launched on rewarding careers within a nationwide network of nearly 4000 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep Dealers.  For College Automotive Program and Bobby Martin information, see http://www.chryslercap.com/data/public/capdb/capwebsite.nsf/index.htm?OpenForm.

ParkerTech Racing Services Dodge Charger R/T
 NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car

July 28, 2008

Three In A Row And Almost A Fourth For The Lane Automotive/CAP Team

And on the cover of National Dragster, too!

Milford, Michigan   NHRA's Norwalk race, rained out earlier in the season, was made up during the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio.  And Bobby Martin made it up in style.  The man from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, driver of the Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger Top Alcohol Funny Car, was the number two qualifier and race winner.  The next day, in the scheduled race, he sat in the number one qualifying spot, but just missed the race win.

At Norwalk, Frank Manzo had nipped Martin for number one with a 5.573 second, 262.54 mph pass.  But Martin tapped on Manzo's window with a qualifying run only .002 of a second behind - 5.575 at 258.27 mph.  Both made it through the first round, before rain ended the weekend.  Their Norwalk qualifying times would carry over to Columbus, where the race would be completed during qualifying.  Manzo and Martin picked up right where they left off.  Both had strong runs that earned them a final round face-off.  In a rare instance, Manzo got into tire shake and had to back off.  Martin’s run was clean and he posted a 5.830 second, 252.80 mph win.  It seemed as though Martin’s recent first national win and the full cover of NHRA's July 18 issue of National Dragster acted as an adrenaline booster shot for the team.

To complete two divisional races in one weekend, NHRA treats Saturday qualifying as the postponed race.  The Norwalk teams would be eliminating and qualifying in the same run.  Martin's semifinal lap of 5.725 seconds and 253.18 miles per hour put the Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger on Sunday’s pole, .030 ahead of Mick Snyder.  From there, the Parkers thrashed the Mopar Hemi and Martin caressed it into the finals.  With their hot rod running just right, the Parkers staged Martin against friend and rival Snyder.  The number one and two qualifiers were evenly matched.  The race was close, right from the green.  In the end, Martin crossed the line about two feet behind Snyder.  The winning pass was 5.755 seconds and 252.28 miles per hour, versus Martin's 5.780 at 254.18.

Why wasn't Frank Manzo in the field, on Sunday?  His schedule called for running only the Norwalk event.  He was at National Trail just to finish that race.  He could have saved tow expenses by entering the Columbus Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event.  Rather than possibly upsetting the Division 3 points race,  he packed up and went home.  As Frank Parker said of him, He is the sportsman in NHRA Sportsman Racing.

Bobby Martin is now seventh in the Top Alcohol Funny Car national points race.  He has a solid hold on first place in Division 3 a very familiar place for Frank and Dan Parker-tuned cars.  The ParkerTech Racing Services team is working to close the .025 gap that cost them the Columbus race.  Their Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger will be primed and ready for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race at Beech Bend Raceway Park, August 22-24.

Lane Automotive specializes in distributing accessory and performance parts world wide.  The latest and best parts are stocked in their stunning new Watervliet, Michigan complex.  The facility is specially designed, computerized and automated to process customer orders.  Motorsports enthusiasts racer, hot rodder, truck and off-road, sport compact, street machine and more will find what they need or want.  Visit Lane Automotive, Motor State Distributing, Allstar Performance, Lane Collectables, Exact Detail and the Lane Showroom at http://www.laneautomotive.com/Index.php

Chrysler's College Automotive Program (CAP) focuses on training novice and experienced automotive technicians.  Students are launched on rewarding careers within a nationwide network of nearly 4000 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep Dealers.  For College Automotive Program and Bobby Martin information, see http://www.chryslercap.com/data/public/capdb/capwebsite.nsf/index.htm?OpenForm

ParkerTech Racing is supported by Lane Automotive, All-Star Performance, Mopar, Aeroquip Hoses, Red Line Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, Crane Cams, Total Flow Heads, Trick Titanium, Mr. Gasket, Valco Cincinnati, Mancini Racing and Casebolt Financial.  The team is also partners with Chrysler’s College Automotive Program (CAP), Permatex and VP Racing Fuels.  Marketing and media tasks are performed by Challenger Consulting.-

Contact:

Charlie Henry

Challenger Consulting

248-477-1970

248-476-0191 fax

charlie@challengerconsultingllc.com

Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times Friday, July 11, 2008

FRIDAY JULY 11, 2008  ::  Last modified: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 11:57 PM EDT Martin: Racing’s ‘funny’ business

By Bill Allmann
Times Sports Correspondent

After 17 years of competing successfully on his own in the NHRA’s Top Alcohol Funny Car Division, Big Beaver’s Bobby Martin decided it was time for a change.

“I had to do something radical,” said Martin of his decision to join the Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger Racing Team of Frank and Dan Parker. “We had been running our own show but it seemed like it was time to do something.

“We combined forces and so far it’s working well.”

So well, in fact, that Martin captured his first championship at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, on June 29. The race was shown on a delayed basis by ESPN2 over the Fourth of July Weekend giving Martin even more exposure.

“That was a big deal, to win after racing funny cars steady since 1991,” said Martin. “Combining forces with the Parkers, they have a nice car and it’s tuned well. They’ve never finished lower than 13th overall and third in their division so it’s a realistic goal to win the division with them.”

Martin now ranks 16th in the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car standings, but a lot could change by the end of the month.

“We race next in Columbus (at Ohio’s National Trail Raceway, July 25-27),” Martin said. “There will actually be two races in that one weekend, finishing up one from May that was rained out, so it should be real competitive and the division could be won that weekend.”

Even with Bobby Martin’s long experience and recent success, eyebrows still raise about “funny car racing.” Funny car races date back to the mid-60’s and get their name because the rear wheels have been moved forward to improve weight transfer, making the appearance “funny.”

The NHRA has exact requirements what qualifies as “funny.” Cars must weight at least 2,400 pounds (driver included), and have a wheelbase of 124 to 125 inches.

There are also exacting requirements for minimum ground clearance, the front overhang, and the covering of the underbody. The alcohol reference deals with the fuel, differentiating the division from the nitro division which has now had its distance reduced for 1,320 feet to 1,000 for a safety study.

“With ESPN2 coverage now, people know about us more,” Martin said. “But most people have never seen a car in person. When we have one on display or at a car cruise, people are fascinated.

“It really should be (more mainstream) as folks get to know more about it. In funny car races, men and women compete against each other, there are African-American racers, and age doesn’t matter. We’ve had races where 22-year-olds compete against 64-year-olds. It’s very family friendly, too, with lots of excitement.”

Martin intends to keep adding to the excitement. His partnership with the Parkers has already proven to be a success. In sports, such mergers haven’t always been that way.

“I was apprehensive,” Martin admitted. “We had been used to running our own show but it was a total merger; we combined forces and it’s been great.”

Based on early experience, the partnership looks capable of doing even better.

PARKERTECH/LANE AUTOMOTIVE/CAP DODGE ON THE COVER OF NATIONAL DRAGSTER
Jul 11, 2008
Author: Bobby Martin

Since 2002, the title page of bobbymartinracing.com has featured a link to Bob Frey's article, "He Could Go All the Way!" Thanks for your confidence Bob.

Frank and Dan Parker's amazing Dodge Charger Funny Car graces the cover of the July 18th issue of National Dragster, the official publication of the National Hot Rod Association, drag racing's leading sanctioning body and one of the world's largest motorsports sanctioning organizations. This issue marks the first cover for Bobby Martin, but it's the second in just two years for Parkertech Racing Services. The white Charger appeared on an early 2007 cover after the team won the Division 2 event at Bradenton with driver Marty Nothstein in his first outing with the car. "Dragster" Associate Editor Brad Littlefield, the son of Funny Car legend and supercharger manufacturer Mert Littlefield, covers the action with his uniquely thorough style, with plenty of quotes from Bobby. "Brad was in no hurry," said Martin, "he spent a lot of time with me on this. I can't wait to see how it looks in print."

The Lane Automotive/CAP Team Sweeps the Field at Norwalk

The Lane Automotive/CAP Team Heads for Norwalk

Bobby Martin and the Parkers set their sights on a second consecutive win

Milford, Michigan – On June 8, fans and supporters of the Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger funny car were excited by its first win in 2008.  Hard work by Frank and Dan Parker’s crew, and savvy driving by Bobby Martin, put the Mopar Hemi-powered car in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Winner’s Circle at Rt. 66 Speedway.  Since then, the car has been tubbed, scrubbed, rubbed and dubbed “ready to win again.”

The team will look for that win at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, June 26-29.  Summit Motorsports Park, in Norwalk, Ohio, will host the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series for the second time.  Last season’s debut event was a standing-room-only affair.  The speed and thunder of NHRA drag racing is expected to draw the same response this year.

“Summit Motorsports Park is a great track,” stated Frank Parker, team owner and co-chief with dad Dan.  “The win at Rt. 66 verified some changes we made and Bobby did a terrific job in the car.  The time since then has allowed us to improve on the changes and to rest up for Norwalk.”  Norwalk is only a short drive from the ParkerTech shop in Milford, Michigan.

Bobby Martin added, “Frank, Dan and I have all raced at the track in Norwalk, before and after the improvements.  That experience, with the boost from our win in Joliet, puts us in a good frame of mind.  National Dragster’s Tricky Tipster has given us 6 to 1 odds to win the race.  I think the odds are even better than that.”  The team is looking forward to meeting fans and putting on a good show.

A video clip of the Lane Automotive/CAP Top Alcohol Funny Car, in an earlier race at Summit Raceway Park, can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrR8cROPjJ0.  For race and track information, go to www.nhra.com or contact Summit Raceway Park at 419-668-5555 or www.summitmotorsportspark.com.  When near the track, tune your radio to 88.9 FM.

Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger in the Rt. 66 Winner's Circle

Testing and tweaking result in a win.

Milford, Michigan – Testing, tweaking and teamwork paid off for Bobby Martin and the Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger of Dan and Frank Parker.  The team earned a visit to the Winner’s Circle at Rt. 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.  The June 13-15 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event came just days after a good, but frustrating, weekend at the Torco Fuels NHRA Nationals – at the same track.

The good part of the Torco Fuels Nationals was Martin’s 5.640 second, 255.73 mph fifth qualifying spot in one of the hottest Top Alcohol Funny Car fields ever.  Martin’s first round lap was almost a mirror image of qualifying.  The 5.635 elapsed time and 253.75 speed easily put away Brian Hough’s Monte Carlo.  With lane choice over Jay Payne, the crew was cranked for round two.  That’s when the frustrating part raised its ugly head.  Martin was right on his mark, but the Dodge Charger couldn’t match him.  The win went to Payne.

“We’re disappointed with this finish, of course,” Martin said, as the crew packed up.  “But Frank and Dan know why the car fell off.  They’ve already refined their combination and I'm mentally refining my actions to match.  We’re ready for next weekend.”

As the following weekend would prove, Martin had reason to sound confident.  The Mopar Hemi-powered Dodge Charger posted a 5.619 elapsed time and 259.16 mph qualifying pass for the number two spot.  This time, nothing frustrating occurred.  Although slightly off their qualifying time, Martin and the car improved in every elimination run.  5.694 at 256.55 in round one.  5.651 at 256.94 in round two.  And, finally, a smooth 5.630 elapsed time and 256.94 mph top end for the win.

Frank Parker’s grin, in the Winner’s Circle, was wide enough to be seen from Chicago’s Loop.  “We’ve been working toward this right from the start,” he said.  “The main reason we got together with Bobby was belief in each other’s capabilities.  But we didn’t believe it would take this long for two set-in-their-ways racers to get synchronized.  That’s done and we’re ready for the next race.”

After four races (one a rain-out), the Lane Automotive/CAP Dodge Charger is 22^nd in national Top Alcohol Funny Car points and 2^nd in Division Three points.  With six races (the rain-out will be tacked on to a later points meet) yet to run in 2008, the team can reach their goal of a top ten finish in national points and the North Central Division Championship.  Watch their progress at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 26-29.  As Frank Parker said, “We’re ready!”

ParkerTech Racing is grateful for the support of Lane Automotive, All-Star Performance, Mopar, Aeroquip Hoses, Red Line Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, Crane Cams, Total Flow Heads, Trick Titanium, Mr. Gasket, Valco Cincinnati, Mancini Racing, Casebolt Financial, Chrysler’s College Automotive Program (CAP), Permatex, and VP Racing Fuels.  Marketing and media tasks are performed by Challenger Consulting.

Our team is owned by Frank Parker.  The co-crew chief along with Frank is his dad, Dan Parker.  The 2008 Dodge Charger is driven by Bobby Martin of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.